


Tears

by SavioBriion



Category: Historical RPF, The Bible
Genre: Gen, Rape/Non-con References, Torture
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-04-09
Updated: 2012-04-09
Packaged: 2017-11-03 08:29:33
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 682
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/379365
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SavioBriion/pseuds/SavioBriion
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>NC17, 2010. Historical fic. Gabriel accompanied the conquistadores to Central America. He witnessed the fate of the indigenous people who refused to convert.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Tears

**Author's Note:**

> Written for [this](http://cattygabriel.livejournal.com/20523.html) meme.
> 
> Gabriel is a Biblical character whom I role-play and Father Diego de Landa is a historical character who really was guilty of the things he's depicted as doing here.

It is warm and humid, the heat not helped by the huge bonfire burning in the middle of the town. A scrap of mulberry-bark paper escapes the fires, flying up towards the pale young man in priest’s robes standing nearby. The Archangel Gabriel catches it and stares at the half-hieroglyph still visible and wonders: how much knowledge, how much Mayan culture has already been burnt?

    A _conquistador_ pins a screaming woman to the ground, ripping her dress open and roughly shoving her legs apart, and Gabriel looks away, wincing; he longs to put a stop to these atrocities, but he is to remain unnoticed. _How can You ask this of me, Father?_ His eyes fall on more _conquistadores_ wrestling a crowd of screaming, struggling villagers towards the fire. At his side Father Diego de Landa steps forward, Bible in hand. The struggling instigator of the rebellions is brought before him.

     “Do you convert? Will you accept the teachings of Christ the Saviour?” Father Diego appears to be attempting a merciful look, but he cannot hide his anger and contempt, and the Mayan priest knows this. He stops his struggles, standing straight and shaking his head, defiance burning in his eyes. 

  “Burn him along with everyone who will not convert.” Father Diego catches sight of Gabriel’s horrified expression. “It is the only way,” the Franciscan priest says almost kindly, despite the religious fervour burning in his eyes. “These pagans have refused our mercy, and the mercy of Christ the Lord. You know they will burn in Hell. And perhaps the sight of the flames will convince them that ours is the only true religion. Filthy savages – they practised human sacrifice! Praying to bloodthirsty heathen gods, demons in disguise…”

  “But Christ preaches mercy,” Gabriel whispers. “And it is not our right to burn them on Earth, Padre, whatever their sins.”

  “It is our right to convert the heathens, and punish the unrighteous.”

  Gabriel stares at him for a moment before the screams and pleas for mercy drag his gaze back to the fire. He bites his lip so hard that he draws blood as he watches men, women and even children be killed for refusing to convert. Some of them are calling out to Nahuatl, Coatlicue, Kukulkan, and he knows no god will come; he can only watch as the men are put in stocks and locked into a house which is then set ablaze. A young boy stares right at him with huge dark eyes and Gabriel sees the plea for help forming on his lips, drowned out by the others' screams of pain. The boy is roughly tossed into the flames consuming the house. Gabriel tries to turn away but then he sees the great tree near the village, branches weighed down by women hanging from them by the neck. The flames reflect off the armour of _conquistadores_ hanging screaming children up by their feet, and the Archangel’s hands clench.

  How can the Son’s teachings have been so misconstrued? Gabriel’s very function is to carry out God’s will and spread His messages; this twisting of all that he represents causes almost physical pain; a sharp darkness licking at his essence, an almost tangible lump in his stomach . Where did he and his fellow angels go wrong?

  The stench of blood and burnt flesh and _death_ is in the air, and the screams are dying down. Father Diego looks smugly satisfied, and that more than anything makes Gabriel feel sick. Against his will his feet bring him to the large tree hung with corpses, and he stares at the body of the woman dangling before him. The rope is tight around her neck, her tongue lolling out, and her eyes are fixed heavenward. Next to her, a child is still struggling, upside-down face screwed up in pain. He sees Gabriel standing there and for a moment his other limbs stop flailing, one hand reaching upwards to the angel in silent supplication.

    Gabriel kneels by the child, touching his forehead softly and trying to ease the pain, and unbidden tears flow down his cheeks.

**Author's Note:**

> Based on an actual historical massacre that took place in a town called Yobain.


End file.
